1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a board for holding a baseball and uncovering same so that it can be autographed.
2. Description of Related Art
It is increasingly important and usually required for professional and semi-professional athletes to devote a portion of their time to signing autographs for fans.
Prior to this invention a fan would approach a sports athlete and attempt to get an autograph by passing a ball and pen through a group of frantic fans. The athlete must then remove the cap of the pen, awkwardly clutch the pen and ball and attempt a freehand signature on the curved surface. This process usually creates an autograph of poor quality. The athlete must then recap the pen if he remembers what he did with it and attempt to pass the ball and pen back to the same fan. This is frequently a young fan with mustard covered hands. The fan will then attempt to hold the cherished souvenir throughout the sporting event in hands or oiled covered glove. The ball may be dropped on the dirty abrasive concrete or roll down several sections of soda covered rows further blemishing the ball and reducing its quality and value.
Additionally, some athletes and their signatures may not be well known and fans may forget which athlete signed the ball.
Furthermore, upon return home if not immediately placed in a display case the ball can be further exposed to fingerprints, dust, chew marks and loss.
There have been prior art attempts to provide protection for memorabilia such as baseballs and hockey pucks. One is described in US Patent Publication Number US2003/0144094 A1. That publication describes a removable cover for a ball or puck and which includes a window or “autograph opening” through which the athlete can inscribe his or her autograph. A writing implement is attachable to the device by an attachment means. The invention does not appear to provide a support for the ball holder and, in addition, the “autograph opening” means that dust and light can affect the ball over time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,429 describes an invention in which the sports object itself, for example, a simulated basketball, etc., has a pen receiving hole in it attached to the autographable object by a tether. Obviously, the ball is non-functional given the hole therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,136 is of interest in that it describes another ball and pen combination in which the pen is curved and is attachable to the ball by hook and loop material such as Velcro®.
Japanese Patent JPO 2004 106241A appears to describe another device for holding a ball. A trading card includes a section for writing an autograph and, apparently, a card case also.
U.S. Pat. D5,841,878 describes another device for holding a collectable item, for example, a card, with an autograph space and includes multi-media capability, all within a protective housing.
U.S. Design Pat. D357,500 describes a combined pen and holder for a sports ball such as a baseball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,110 also describes a case for holding an autograph ball.
Lastly, U.S. Design Pat. D498,502 describes yet another device for holding a ball in a display cube.
Insofar as understood, none of the prior art taken individually or in combination describes a baseball holder or holder for a similar item and which can be presented as a whole to an athlete and provides support for the athlete to properly sign the autograph and which thereafter can be mounted on the wall or set on a table or the like in a truly integrated fashion.